


Paint The Seconds

by knightswatch



Category: Free!
Genre: Fluff, Insomnia, M/M, Not future fish, Older AU, Rin stays in Japan, Some angst but not really
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-27
Updated: 2015-03-27
Packaged: 2018-03-19 19:43:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,121
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3621936
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/knightswatch/pseuds/knightswatch
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sleeplessness affected Ai in strange waves. There were times when he felt so calm he was almost lucid like his brain had been submerged in just a few inches of water that he was struggling to breach. 46 hours away from the last time he had slept didn't feel like that. Instead, he was clawing his way across the floor of the ocean, the weight of the water bending his shoulders until it felt like his back might snap.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Paint The Seconds

**Author's Note:**

> AU where Rin goes to university not far away from Samezuka, and Ai has horrible insomnia.

Sleeplessness affected Ai in strange waves. There were times when he felt so calm he was almost lucid like his brain had been submerged in just a few inches of water that he was struggling to breach. 46 hours away from the last time he had slept didn't feel like that. Instead, he was clawing his way across the floor of the ocean, the weight of the water bending his shoulders until it felt like his back might snap.

The worst part was not even feeling tired. The last time he had slept was for the hour he had between his last class for the day and when he had to go lead swim practice. He'd missed a chance to call Rin, but the sleep had been so refreshing that it lasted him almost two days. 

However, now Rin was calling him on skype. He always welcomed the chance to talk to his boyfriend during the week, especially when he wouldn't be able to take the two-hour train ride to go see him for two more days. Still, apprehension curled in his stomach as he tried to form his face into something more awake. 

Several slaps to his cheeks left them tingling and red, and his eyes were a little too bright in the image of himself on the screen. Rin's smile was as easy to return as ever, even if his hazy mind took a moment to connect the movement of his lips to the words he was saying.

"Hey," he mumbled out, almost grimacing at the sluggish note in his own voice. The weight on his mind kept pushing down, preventing him from playing his exhaustion entirely. Rin's eyebrows shot up as soon as he spoke, shifting his position until he was leaning close to the screen. 

"Ai," he started, the disapproval clear and stinging as it played through the speakers of Ai's laptop. Still he tried to keep smiling, even if it felt too loose and a little dopey. "Did you sleep last night?"

With a little sigh, Ai shook his head, smoothing his fingers over his forehead and letting them bump over his eyes. He hoped it would smooth some of the tired lines, but it also gave him a moment to hide from Rin's concern. He dropped his hands back to his lap, shrugging.

"I just wasn't really tired, I guess," he laughed just a little too loud, deciding not to mention that he hadn't slept the night before either. Rin had skipped an entire day of class once to come do little more than tuck Ai into bed, arms wrapped around him, refusing to move until Ai actually slept. "I'll take a pill tonight."

Rin grunted brows settled low over his eyes. Ai's medication rarely worked to actually make him sleep, he couldn't blame Rin for sounding unconvinced. Still he scrubbed one more time at his eyes in a desperate attempt to clear the fog away from his mind entirely.

"How's your day been anyway?"  
~  
Ai did not sleep for the two days between their skype call and his next visit to Rin's apartment. Ai made sure to text Rin before getting on the train, but nearly missed his stop in his near-delirium. He stumbled off the train with a dopey smile, managing to push his way into a vending machine and purchase a coffee drink before it occurred to him to tell Rin that he'd arrived.

He dug his phone out, using the hand not gripped around the caffeinated beverage to try and text Rin. It was futile; a hand clapped on his shoulder before he was even halfway finished. He turned to find Rin smiling down at him. He returned it, curling his arms around Rin's waist with phone and drink still in his hands.

It made Rin laugh, the vibrations of it muffled by his winter clothes. Ai could still feel it and he melted a little further into the warm comfort of Rin's body. Usually, he kept count of the hours between his sleeps but his brain had given up counting. He hoped Rin wouldn't ask.

He pulled away from the hug a little reluctantly, tucking his phone safely back into his pocket and putting his hand to better use in holding onto Rin's. The walk from the station to Rin's apartment was more quiet than usual; Ai tended to supply a little more of the conversation than he was prepared to at the moment.

It didn't escape Rin's notice, nor did the coffee that Ai all but chugged. After he unlocked the front door he pried the empty bottle away from Ai with gentle fingers, looking it over with a clipped sigh. 

"Are you doing okay?" He asked after a long minute, propelling Ai over to the only slightly moldy couch that Sousuke had dragged home. Ai sat down on it with a wrinkle of his nose and a shrug, rubbing his hand over the toxic green fabric. The scratchiness was grounding, and he dug his fingers in a little harder.

"I'm fine Senpai," he answered though from the way Rin's face twisted a little he knew there was no way it was convincing. He defaulted to 'senpai' when he was tired, and Rin shook the bottle in his hand with a barked out laugh.

"You hate coffee," he set the empty drink on the table, shrugging his coat off and curling on the couch next to Ai. He chuckled softly as Ai wiggled to press against his chest immediately, resting their heads together. "I thought you said you were sleeping better."

"I am! Well... I was," Ai scratched at the back of his neck with a little sigh. Even if he didn't really want to tell Rin he'd slept a grand total of one hour for the week he couldn't lie about it either. "The pills didn't really help this week."

"Do you wanna see if my bed helps?" Rin's voice was quiet as he asked. It had helped in the past; Rin's smell and the comforting weight of his presence eased Ai's mind enough for him to accept sleep. Ai paused for a second before shaking his head, flush creeping into his cheeks.

He hated coming all the way up to see Rin just to fall asleep as soon as he got there. Rin sighed at the refusal, nodding and pressing his lips to the crown of Ai's head. He wanted to scoop the smaller teen up in his arms and carry him off to bed anyway, but instead he rubbed his hands over the cold skin at the top of his arms.

"So did you forget that it's cold or have you become unaffected?" He quirked an eyebrow, nodding at Ai's lack of even his track jacket. Ai blinked a little, looking at his own arm in grand confusion before leaning his head back on the couch.

"I think it's in my bag," he sat up, unzipping it and digging for a moment before producing his track jacket from the depths with a smile that was just a little too triumphant. Rin groaned, hiding his face in his hands until his phone chirped a polite tone from his pocket.

He pulled it out with a raised brow, looking at the screen before smiling at Ai once again,

"Do you wanna go get some lunch with Sousuke?" He wasn't excited at the prospect, but if Ai didn't want to sleep they'd have to find something to do. Ai nodded, popping off the couch with a little more energy, shrugging the thin jacket onto his shoulders.

"That sounds fun! Is he out already?" Ai questioned, tilting his head as Rin stared for a moment. Rin gave a belated nod before turning to his bedroom, returning seconds later with a charcoal gray scarf. He leaned down, wrapping it around Ai's neck, leaving a lingering kiss on the mole under his eye before standing to pull on his own coat.

"If you freeze it's not my fault," he teased at Ai's questioning look, lacing their fingers together after the lock on the door clicked shut behind him.   
~  
An hour and a half later Ai was wondering how in the world he'd gotten himself so hopelessly lost. The bench under him was frigid, and as flakes of snow began tumbling through the air he shivered. 

They had met up with Sousuke and had lunch without a problem bigger than Rin's slightly overbearing concern. It was sweet though, and even if Sousuke laughed at them both Ai didn't complain. They'd left the restaurant to go... Ai couldn't remember where.

He did remember both older boys ducking into a store for just a second while he was admiring the display of a clothing store. But there was a crush of people keeping him almost pinned to the cold glass of the window and he hadn't been able to even find Sousuke's towering bulk once again.

Undaunted he had decided he'd simply walk back to their apartment building and call once he was there so Rin wouldn't worry. It wasn't that far, and trying to warm himself in the chill air Ai had set off with quick steps.

Now he really didn't know where he was. He had given up on trying to figure out where the apartment was in relation to the shopping center, and instead worked to figure a way to the station. It would be easier if he could get there; Rin usually walked him, but he'd make the trip himself when Rin was still busy or if he arrived early.

But he couldn't find the station either, and now he was sitting forlorn on a bench staring at the snow starting to fall around him. The clouds had gone from a normal winter gray to dark behemoths covering the sky and it had certainly gotten colder as well. He almost leaped out of his skin when his phone rumbled against his thigh, the pattern meant to alert him to a call incoming.

"Hello?" He picked it up without looking at the caller ID, but wasn't surprised when Rin's worried voice rang in his ear.

"Ai? Where did you go?" Ai blinked his eyes, lifting the phone away from his ear to check the time. Rin must've gone back to the apartment, it had been awhile since he'd seen them. He smiled still, pushing himself to his feet and looking around. 

Nothing looked remotely familiar, though from the concern in his voice telling Rin that would likely just send him into a panic. Instead, Ai started walking down the street after pausing to be sure he wasn't going in the same direction that he came from.

"I got a little lost," he admitted, his tone light despite the way the world around him was starting to darken. "I'll be back soon, I'm almost there!"

His chirping tone seemed to convince Rin, who ghosted out a sigh of relief.

"Okay. Just... Please be careful?" Ai nodded in assent then realized Rin wouldn't be able to see it. He hummed instead, looking up at the towering buildings.

"Sure thing! I'll see you in a little while," Rin grunted before Ai hung up the phone. He worried too much, Ai decided. Sousuke got himself lost all the time, it couldn't be that hard to figure things out by himself. Instead, he pulled the scarf Rin had given him up so it covered his nose, inhaling the warm smell of Rin's cologne.  
~  
As soon as he hung up the phone Rin returned to pacing around the apartment. Sousuke looked up from the toxic green couch with an expression that was equal parts amusement and annoyance.

"He said he was almost here, right? Just sit down," he raised an eyebrow, then shrugged as Rin shook his head. It wasn't like Ai to wander off, but it was still nothing for Rin to be killing himself over.

He managed to placate Rin's concern for almost another half hour. It was then that Rin tried calling his boyfriend and this time didn't receive an answer. Sousuke pulled himself off the couch without being asked, shrugging a coat on.

"I'll walk around the neighborhood. You stay here," Sousuke tried to give Rin a calming smile, squeezing his shoulder once. Rin looked ready to cry or start pulling out his own hair, and he wasn't keen on trying to diffuse either reaction when it was actually reasonable. "Try calling again, maybe he didn't hear it."

With that, he pushed his way out the door, double checking that his phone had a full battery charge. He considered trying to call as well but decided blocking the line would only result in more worrying from Rin. He sent Ai a quick text, simply asking where he was.  
~  
After four increasingly panicked messages from Rin confirming that Ai had still not come back, and one from Momo to check that Ai hadn't for some reason just ridden the train back to Samezuka, Sousuke found a silver-haired bump asleep on a bench. 

He didn't recognize it as Ai until he saw the strips of white fabric on his team jacket. He leaned over, shaking the boys snow-dusted form and trying to ignore the uncomfortable way that his heart was pounding in his chest. Ai came to far more slowly than he was comfortable with, blinking at Sousuke leaning over him with a terrifying lack of awareness.

"Ah- Senpai?" He asked finally, rubbing sleep out of his fuzzy blue eyes. Sousuke noted grimly that he wasn't shaking from the cold and after a moment of deliberation he leaned forward, lifting Ai off the bench and into his arm. The weight made his shoulder scream though he ignored it, shaking his head as Ai's frozen fingers brushed over his skin.

"Why are you sleeping outside?" He asked, not sure if he expected a real answer. Ai looked around as if he had to confirm that he was doing so. He could feel his phone vibrating against his hip, but carrying Ai back to somewhere warm was a greater priority than answering a call he was certain was from Rin.

"Oi," he mumbled, glad that it snapped Ai's attention back to him quickly. His cheeks were pallid, a great contrast to the bright red of his fingers and Sousuke bit down the grimace that tried to twist on his face. "Call Rin."

Ai blinked his eyes before pulling his phone out from the pocket of his jacket. He opened the screen then stared for a moment, eyes flicking back and forth as he read the time and the number of missed calls from his boyfriend. 

When Ai lifted the phone to his ear, Sousuke turned around a corner, putting them back on the path that would have actually taken Ai back to the apartment. He was much further out than Sousuke had expected, and he wondered if Ai had known where he was when he said he was close by.   
~  
Panic was curled in the pit of Rin's stomach like a monster; every buzz of his phone and sound outside the door make it swipe its claws at his insides. There was a physical pain each time another text from Sousuke informed him that he hadn't found Ai yet.

When his phone actually started ringing, it took Rin an extra moment to pick it up when the monster in his stomach actually tried forcing its way out of him. The image of Ai's smiling face popping up on the screen made his heart unsure if it should relax or pound even harder. It settled instead for ceasing to beat for several seconds before picking up the phone.

"A-Ai? Where are you? Is everything okay?" His words flowed out in a rush, leaving him chewing on his lip harshly for the several seconds it took for Ai to process the questions.

"I'm with Sousuke," Ai paused and Rin could hear Sousuke's voice but not quite make out what he was saying. "He said we're two blocks away."

Rin sighed, sinking into the couch and closing his eyes slowly. The adrenaline ebbed out of his system, leaving him feeling tireder than he had in weeks. 

"Are you alright?" He asked. There was a strange quality to Ai's voice when he spoke, his words slurring together just enough for Rin to notice.

"I think so. I um, I got lost and I think I fell asleep," Ai explained, and Rin rubbed a hand over his forehead. "I'm sorry."

The last part was so quiet that Rin almost missed it. A reluctant smile grew on his face, his eyes easing open again. It was a surprise when Sousuke continued speaking before Rin had an answer.

"Yo. He's pretty cold, I think you should call Ryugazaki before we get back. You said he got all that first aid training right?" Rin's whole body snapped back to tension, nodding his head sharply.

"Okay. Thanks, Sousuke." His friend simply grunted in response before hanging up the phone.  
~  
Though Sousuke insisted on carrying Ai until they reached the apartment building, he didn't argue when Ai insisted that he could walk inside. In large part, Ai suspected to the strain that his weight was putting on Sousuke's shoulder. 

Almost as soon as he walked through the door Rin's arms swept around him. He could feel the way Rin's shoulders were quivering, and the tension that made his grip just a little too tight. Ai melted into it anyway, eyes closing as he listened to the way Rin's heartbeat settled from a gallop.

Rin drew back with a reluctance that Ai didn't miss, arm remaining draped over his shoulders. Rin's smile was tired like it was a struggle to keep it in place on his face.

"C'mon, you need some warm clothes," he nudged Ai into his small bedroom, unwinding the dark colored scarf from his neck. Rin had already laid clothing out on his bed; one of his own shirts and an old pair of sweat pants that pooled around Ai's feet after he pulled them on.

Rin looked a little more relaxed though he insisted on wrapping the both of them in a heavy blanket, laying his laptop out on the bed and putting a movie on the screen. He felt better, having Ai wrapped safely in his arms and listening to his breathing smooth out as he finally gave into sleep.

Rin couldn't quite release the edge of panic; the far more terrifying 'what-if' scenarios that played out every time he tried closing his eyes. He kept Ai as close as possible, nuzzling against his silver hair and eventually managing to make it to sleep.


End file.
